Ezekiel Khosa- South African National Park, Skukuza, Mpumalanga

This presentation determines alien invasive weeds, locations and their biological control agents released in those locations if the exercise was worthwhile. The focus of the presentation was also on major projects started on 2008 to determine if they were a success and the time factor, complaining factors (drought and floods), long term sustainability and integrating control measures.

Since 2010, the South African Surgical Research Institute has supplied the Alien Biota section of the South African National Parks, bio control agents for water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) and Water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes) control at selected sites in the Kruger National Parks Sites with the former weed included the Sabie River below Lower Sabie Rest Camp in the South, around Skukuza Rest Camp, and Orpen Dam. SASRI has been rearing alien plant bio control agents for many years for Working for water and more recently for a sugar company - Tongaat – Hullet.

For more information please see the fact sheets below:

Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes)

Water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes)